Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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193. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of claimants of the widow’s pension who were separated or divorced in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and in to date 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16154/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension (WCP) is a weekly payment to the husband, wife or civil partner of a deceased person. The number of claimants, or recipients, who were separated or divorced before being widowed as requested by the Deputy are shown in the attached Table.

It is important for the Deputy to note that while the Department does hold records of the marital status they are not necessarily comprehensive. The Department does not get notified of divorces or separations, and a change may only be recorded by a welfare officer if necessary for the award of welfare benefits. As persons who are divorced or separated, and whose partner subsequently dies are currently eligible for WCP their status before being widowed does not impact the claim.